Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Finally - a reason to like my 202...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Faraday, Vic
    Posts
    94
    Total Downloaded
    0

    Smile Finally - a reason to like my 202...

    Hi Folks,

    I've been fighting an internal battle with myself over my 202 powered Series III 88 over the last year. Part of me wants to do the full resto, part of me wants to get a wreaking disco and put a 200 or 300 tdi in it. Part of me even wants to try putting an 88 body on a disco frame, tweaking as needed to make it fit (it could just be I still really miss my defender). But - the realist in me knows that being as I'm working full time, plus trying to fix up a neglected 65 acre farmlet, so any vehicles at the moment need to be reliable, and to earn their keep. The overheating tendancies of the 202 and the lack of time have meant its been tucked away in a corner of the shed awaiting me having the time to have a really good crack at it.

    Up the back of our place is an pretty, steep and rocky gully. Its runoff from Mount Alexander, and a few underground springs, and feeds into two of our dams. Its also full of blackberries, and steep enough that its a challenge to walk up, let alone get equipment into for clearing - enter our crew of 20 odd boer goats. We got these goats from a breeder that was closing down, and they're very tame (or spoilt rotten). For those who don't know, they're a meat breed, but being as the breeder was vego this never happened. No such illusions on our side - two of the plump little weathers are named 'Rogan' and 'Josh', and I find myself continually imagining how they would taste slow roasted with a spice rub and 1/2 bottle of shiraz in the pan... But yes, they are fearless of people, vehicles, dogs and pretty much anything else which makes getting feed in and out of the area challenge - they dont get out of the way, and when stationary vehicles are seen as the goatie equivalent of a bouncy castle. They dont fear the ute, the quad, the ag bikes, the tractor. Nothing. Theres also steer, a bottle fed boy raised by the same vego who got thrown in with the goats as a freebie on the understanding he wouldnt become steak. His name is - wait for it - 'Harold'. Or 1 tonne hamburger as I tend to call him. Hamburger likes to add his own personal flavour to the mix of chaos, and at his weight complete with horns and a kick Chuck Norris would respect, with his delusion he's a goat he certainly keeps it interesting.

    So, this weekend, with the other half away, and a bunch of odd jobs that would see me being in the goats paddock for a while and a few other tasks where a SWB would be handy, I decided it was time to wake the series, and let it earn its keep. I loaded it up with tools, some hay, plumbing stuff and various odds and ends, as well the thermometer so I could try and track the overheating a little better, and off I went towards to goat paddock expecting the usual ordeal of trying to juggle gates, fearless goats, vehicles. Normally, this task involves driving up to the gate, opening the gate, inching forward nudging the the goats out of the way, telling the hamburger to move, stopping, closing the gate, catching those that slipped through and throwing them over the fence etc while the rest climb all over the vehicle - all the while aware that I still have to get back out again at the end.

    This time though, a quick blip of the throttle on the 202 and the beggars scattered, including Hamburger! I was able to nudge the gate open with the front bar, quickly through and close the gate again with not one attempted escape. Quick switch to 4wd and up into the yard to the feeder unimpeeded by the ravening hords which were still giving me a wide berth. Being able to open the door without first asking the hamburger to move his blasted fat head was a nice change too.

    Even better, being able to do some maintainence on the goat shed without worrying about the wreaking crew breaking up the vehicle behind my back.

    Even better still, the same thing happened on the way back out!

    So.. while I'm still not fond of the 202, I have to conceed it has its uses for crowd control, at least round our way.

    Oh - and did it overheat? You bet. Very quickly. I have a feeling the thermostat could be stuck. Once started it goes from cold to red very fast. There is coolant in the radiator, I do have a fan front and back of the rad, and I can see them kicking in. Pointing the thermometer at various areas showed the top of the thermostat housing to be around 110, the block 60 degrees, top rad hose 90 degrees, top of rad 60. The thermostat housing was also hissing and carrying on.

    It's going to take a bit of time to get it sorted, but after giving me my first and only victory over the goats and their accomplice Hamburger, it may well have earnt it.

    Dave

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Faraday, Vic
    Posts
    94
    Total Downloaded
    0

    Thermostat model

    Hi Again,

    A quick google, review of aulro and whatever suggests the Tridon TT2000-160 would be a good bet as a replacement?

    54mm and opening temp of 71 degrees?

    cheers

    Dave

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    167
    Total Downloaded
    0
    its a Holden just take out the thermostat and see what happens. The engine should run super cool until it gets loaded. Also keep in mind the Holden water pumps are available in cast iron impeller and folded steel. If not running coolant the steel ones can rot away.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Faraday, Vic
    Posts
    94
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Bundy View Post
    its a Holden just take out the thermostat and see what happens. The engine should run super cool until it gets loaded. Also keep in mind the Holden water pumps are available in cast iron impeller and folded steel. If not running coolant the steel ones can rot away.
    Thanks Bundy.. its running coolant, at least it was when I last looked... but its been sitting for a while, and I'm not sure what was in there before coolant. Water pump could well be dead..

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    31
    Total Downloaded
    0
    Are all of the by pass hoses connrcted up around the thermostat housing, if the two sticking out on the manifold side are blocked off it makes the cylinder head temp pulse in big spikes
    Only remove the thermostat for a trial period an old holden will wear the front bore out behind the water pump at an alarming rate, the 180 makes the heater work better
    Personally a 202 isn't a very nice conversion in swb ,torque delivery I found to harsh
    Your fans are spinning in the right direction?

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Search AULRO.com ONLY!
Search All the Web!